Tackling drought and water shortages

Climate change and El Nino are increasingly causing drought, water shortage, saltwater intrusion. Under the Government's instructions, many solutions are being implemented to tackle drought and water shortages.

The monitoring team of the Provincial People's Council's Ethnic Committee conducts a field survey at a water supply project in Ninh Tay Commune (Ninh Hoa Town).

According to a report from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, there has been little rain in Khanh Hoa since the beginning of the year. Currently, the total amount of water in 32 reservoirs in the province (29 irrigation lakes and 3 hydroelectric lakes) is 131.6 million m3, reaching 53% of the total capacity; 48 million m3 lower than in the same period last year. From now until August, rainfall is forecast to continue dropping below the average for the same period in many years.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has cooperated with localities to develop measures to cope with drought, water shortages and saltwater intrusion. The strategies include boosting propaganda to save water in daily life and production; efficient irrigation to conserve water, improved water storage systems, crop switch from rice to others that require less water, etc. to make agriculture more sustainable and water-efficient.

Saltwater intrusion prevention dam project over Cai River in Nha Trang.

Regarding agricultural production, according to statistics, localities temporarily have suspended 2,400 hectares of summer-autumn rice cultivation amid water shortages; sped up the construction of water reservoirs, namely Cha Rang, Son Trung, Song Bung, Song Can, Kato; repaired and upgraded of the lakes of Da Ban and Am Chua; urgently completed the saltwater prevention dam project on the Cai River in Nha Trang.

The department has continued to coordinate with central agencies to implement water transfer projects; build Song Cho 1 reservoir; propose investment in other reservoirs and dams together with dredging and repairing irrigation canals, etc.

Within series of events to launch the National Sea and Island Week and the Action Month for the Environment in response to the World Environment Day and the World Oceans Day, the Minister of the Natural Resources & Environment Dang Quoc Khanh has called on ministries, sectors, agencies, organizations, local authorities, businesses, and residents to take actions to solve drought and desertification, contributing to protecting the environment; sustainably exploit marine resources and adapt to climate change.

Especially, authorities at all levels need to raise awareness and consider land restoration, drought and desertification combat as an inseparable part of the socio-economic development plan; strengthen investigation and assessment of the current situation of desertification, build a desertification database, and develop drought maps; boost propaganda and education to raise public awareness of land restoration, combat drought and desertification, and protect marine resources and environment and turn awareness into action to achieve sustainable living.

C.D – T.Th

Translated by N.T